Puritan Medical Products
{{short description|American manufacturer of medical diagnostic products}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
Puritan Medical Products is an American manufacturer of swab, diagnostic, and specimen collection products.{{Cite web|title=Puritan Medical Products Inc - Company Profile and News|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/1502709D:US|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Bloomberg.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-12-04|title=Swab manufacturer Puritan staffs up as Covid cases soar|url=https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/12/04/swab-manufacturer-puritan-staffs-up-as-covid-cases-soar.html|access-date=2020-12-08|website=CNBC|language=en}} Puritan is North America's largest manufacturer of COVID-19 testing swabs.{{Cite web|last=Jewett|first=Lauren Weber, Christina|date=2020-03-17|title=As Coronavirus Testing Gears Up, Specialized Swabs Running Out|url=https://khn.org/news/as-coronavirus-testing-gears-up-specialized-swabs-running-out/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Kaiser Health News|language=en-US}}
Based in Guilford, Maine, Puritan was a subsidiary of Hardwood Products Co., LP (its two subsidiaries being Hardwood Products Co., LLC and Puritan Medical Products Co., LLC), but has since split from Hardwood Products.{{Cite web|last=Eichacker|first=Charles|date=2020-03-21|title=This Guilford company is one of the world's top 2 makers of COVID-19 testing swabs|url=https://bangordailynews.com/2020/03/21/news/this-guilford-company-is-one-of-the-worlds-top-2-makers-of-covid-19-testing-swabs/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Bangor Daily News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Hardwood Products Company|url=http://www.hwppuritan.com/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=www.hwppuritan.com}}{{Cite web |title=Hardwood Products Company, LP has changed its name to Puritan Medical Products Company I, LP |url=https://www.puritanmedproducts.com/news-and-events/news/post/jan-2023-company-name-change |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.puritanmedproducts.com}} Guilford has been described as America's "swab capital," with Puritan's manufacturing reportedly ushering in the "golden age of the swab."{{Cite news|last=Zimmer|first=Ben|date=2022-01-13|title='Swab': A Mop for Ship Decks and Viral Specimens|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/swab-a-mop-for-ship-decks-and-viral-specimens-11642114732|access-date=2022-01-18|issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite news|title=It's the golden age of the swab, a 99-year-old invention that has never been more crucial|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/01/10/swab-test-covid-puritan-medical/|access-date=2022-01-18|issn=0190-8286}}
Puritan operates three facilities in Maine (one in Guilford and two in Pittsfield), as well as a manufacturing plant in Orlinda, Tennessee, producing swabs and diagnostic testing supplies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/04/13/puritan-medical-products-to-invest-220-million.html |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=2021-12-09|website=www.bizjournals.com}}{{Cite web |date=13 April 2021 |title=Maine-based Puritan Medical Products, one of North America's largest manufacturers of COVID testing swabs, purchases factory in Tennessee |url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/guilford-maine-based-puritan-medical-products-announces-expansion-into-tennessee-coronavirus-swabs/97-bdaba55b-3d3d-4b41-aa53-6c6c5b6f3a3d |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=newscentermaine.com |language=en-US}} In June 2022, Puritan was named "Innovator of the Year" by the Maine International Trade Center.{{Cite web |title=Newsworthy people and performances for June 27, 2022 |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/newsworthy-people-and-performances-for-june-27-2022 |website=Mainebiz}}
History
Established in 1919, Puritan began as a producer of mint-flavored toothpicks in Saginaw, Michigan.{{Cite web |title=Puritan Medical Products |url=https://www.inc.com/profile/puritan-medical-products |website=Inc.}}{{Cite web |last=Jusko |first=Jill |date=2024-11-06 |title=Century-Old Manufacturing Companies: A Celebration Of US Longevity |url=https://www.industryweek.com/operations/media-gallery/55240432/century-old-manufacturing-companies-a-celebration-of-us-longevity?id=55240432&slide=7 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=IndustryWeek |language=en}} The business moved to Maine in 1920, where white birch (needed for the toothpicks) was plentiful. Puritan eventually pivoted into the medical field with the introduction of tongue depressors and aseptic wood applicators, and in the mid-1970s began to focus specifically on medical and healthcare products.
Leadership
Puritan is a family-owned business.{{Cite web|last=Eichacker|first=Charles|date=2020-06-05|title=How a family-owned company in Guilford came to host a visit from the president|url=https://bangordailynews.com/2020/06/05/news/how-a-family-owned-company-in-guilford-came-to-host-a-visit-from-the-president/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=Bangor Daily News|language=en-US}} The company is led by co-owner Timothy Templet, who serves as executive vice president of sales. Templet's grandfather, Lloyd Cartwright, founded Puritan in 1919 during the influenza pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Bhattacharji |first=Alex |date=2020-12-03 |title=How This 101-Year-Old Family Business Became the World's Most Important Company Overnight |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/202012/alex-bhattacharji/puritan-medical-products-company-of-the-year-best-in-business-2020.html |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=Inc.com |language=en}} His daughter, Virginia Templet, serves as Puritan’s manager of marketing.{{Cite web|last=Bhattacharji|first=Alex|date=2020-12-03|title=How This 101-Year-Old Family Business Became the World's Most Important Company Overnight|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/202012/alex-bhattacharji/puritan-medical-products-company-of-the-year-best-in-business-2020.html|access-date=2021-06-17|website=Inc.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Marino|first=David Jr.|date=2021-03-19|title=COVID-19 swab maker from Piscataquis County to open plant in Tennessee|url=https://bangordailynews.com/2021/03/19/news/piscataquis/covid-19-swab-maker-from-piscataquis-county-to-open-plant-in-tennessee/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=Bangor Daily News|language=en-US}}
A business advocate, Templet urges American workers to join small companies and other private-sector employers as a way of combating labor shortages.{{Cite web |title=Let's get back to work. America depends on it |url=https://fortune.com/2022/03/21/get-back-to-work-america-labor-shortage-great-resignation-careers-economy-supply-chain-timothy-templet/ |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=Fortune |language=en}} He also believes in proactively bracing for the next global health crisis, claiming the COVID-19 pandemic was a "wake-up call about stockpiles and being prepared."{{Cite web |last=Bhattacharji |first=Alex |date=2020-12-03 |title=How This 101-Year-Old Family Business Became the World's Most Important Company Overnight |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/202012/alex-bhattacharji/puritan-medical-products-company-of-the-year-best-in-business-2020.html |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=Inc.com |language=en}} Puritan urges people to practice vigilance in the face of new COVID spikes by continuing to test for emerging variants.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-03 |title=Preparing for COVID's return: New spike requires vigilance, more testing |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/09/03/preparing-for-covids-return-new-spike-requires-vigilance-more-testing/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=New York Daily News |language=en-US}}
Bob Shultz is the president and CFO at Puritan.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-07 |title=Opinion: Puritan Medical is a poster child for Maine's economic recovery |url=http://www.bangordailynews.com/2022/10/07/opinion/opinion-contributor/puritan-medical-maine-economic-recovery/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Bangor Daily News |language=en-US}} He is focused on recruiting workers from rural parts of Maine and Tennessee to join the company.{{Cite web |last=Cordes |first=Renee |title=Widgets, workers and wages: Maine manufacturers get more strategic about recruiting |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/widgets-workers-and-wages-maine-manufacturers-get-more-strategic-about-recruiting |website=Mainebiz}} Derek McKenney serves as Puritan's director of corporate engineering.{{Cite web |last=Van Allen |first=Peter |title=40 Under 40: An engineer behind millions of COVID swabs |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/40-under-40-an-engineer-behind-millions-of-covid-swabs |website=Mainebiz}}
COVID-19 pandemic
In April 2020, Puritan received over $75 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to produce more "flock tip testing swabs," which are preferred for COVID-19 testing.{{Cite web|last=Graphics|first=WSJ com News|title=Trump's Turn-Out-the-Base Strategy Is Tested in Maine County|url=https://www.wsj.com/graphics/trump-supporters-hold-fast-in-maine-stronghold-hit-by-recession-trade-war/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=WSJ|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Clifford|first=Tyler|date=2020-04-22|title=Trump taps medical supplies-maker Puritan Medical to ramp up coronavirus swab testing production|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/22/puritan-medical-tapped-to-ramp-up-coronavirus-swab-testing-production.html|access-date=2020-12-08|website=CNBC|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=DOD Details $75 Million Defense Production Act Title 3 Puritan Contract|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2170355/dod-details-75-million-defense-production-act-title-3-puritan-contract/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE|language=en-US}} In June 2020, President Trump visited the company, highlighting its "noble tradition of American manufacturing excellence for more than 100 years."{{Cite web|date=2020-06-05|title=WATCH: Trump delivers remarks following tour of Puritan Medical Products in Maine|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-trump-delivers-remarks-following-tour-of-puritan-medical-products-in-maine|access-date=2020-12-08|website=PBS NewsHour|language=en-us}}{{Cite web|title=Remarks By President Trump At Puritan Medical Products|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-puritan-medical-products/|access-date=2020-12-08|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|language=en-US}} In July 2020, Puritan received another $51 million from the Defense Department to "expand industrial production capacity of flock tip testing swabs."{{Cite web|title=DOD Awards $51.15 Million Undefinitized Contract Action to Puritan Medical Products Company|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2295387/dod-awards-5115-million-undefinitized-contract-action-to-puritan-medical-produc/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE|language=en-US}} To meet demand, the company partnered with Cianbro Corp. to open another swab production facility in Pittsfield, Maine.{{Cite web|last=Sentinel|first=Amy CalderMorning|date=2020-10-12|title=Puritan, Cianbro to build second COVID-19 swab factory in Pittsfield|url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2020/10/12/puritan-cianbro-to-build-second-covid-19-swab-factory-in-pittsfield-2/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel}} Granted federal funding to churn out 40 million swabs per month, the new Pittsfield facility is hiring and training hundreds of workers to produce up to 100 million swabs a month.{{Cite web|title=Puritan hiring hundreds of workers to manufacture COVID-19 swabs|url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/puritan-hiring-hundreds-of-workers-to-manufacture-covid-19-swabs/97-77dc642d-2d60-4e74-af43-416e68e43809|access-date=2021-01-15|website=newscentermaine.com|date=14 January 2021 |language=en-US}} In total, the federal government provided Puritan with more than $250 million in funding to accelerate COVID-19 testing swab production.{{Cite news|date=2021-03-18|title=America's Covid Swab Supply Depends on Two Cousins Who Hate Each Other|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-03-18/covid-test-swab-company-puritan-faces-family-feud|access-date=2021-03-19}}
In November 2020, Puritan was awarded over $11 million to produce three million more testing swabs per month, with the money coming through the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-23|title=Maine company contracted to produce million of testing swabs|url=https://apnews.com/article/health-susan-collins-coronavirus-pandemic-maine-3f8d73f8638ca356513378c811a3cdf3|access-date=2020-12-08|website=AP NEWS}}
In December 2020, Inc. named Puritan the magazine's "Company of the Year," describing it as "the most important manufacturer in the world."{{Cite web|last=Bhattacharji|first=Alex|date=2020-12-03|title=How This 101-Year-Old Family Business Became the World's Most Important Company Overnight|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/202012/alex-bhattacharji/puritan-medical-products-company-of-the-year-best-in-business-2020.html|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Inc.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Guilford swab maker Puritan wins Inc. 'company of the year,' and a legal victory|url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/guilford-swab-maker-puritan-wins-inc-company-of-the-year-and-a-legal-victory|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Mainebiz|language=English}} Governor Janet Mills praised Puritan for "stepping up during tumultuous times to meet the needs of our state."{{Cite web|date=6 January 2021|title=Maine-based swab producer, Puritan Medical Products, nationally recognized as Inc. Magazine's '2020 Company of the Year'|url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/money/business/maine-based-swab-producer-puritan-medical-products-nationally-recognized-as-inc-magazines-2020-company-of-the-year/97-bb7cff57-ac5a-4951-bbd4-280430acbf4d|access-date=2021-12-09|website=newscentermaine.com|language=en-US}} According to Bloomberg, Puritan offers full benefits and pays fully trained employees $15 an hour, higher than the $12.15 hourly minimum wage in Maine.{{Cite news|date=2021-03-18|title=America's Covid Swab Supply Depends on Two Cousins Who Hate Each Other|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-03-18/covid-test-swab-company-puritan-faces-family-feud|access-date=2021-03-19}}
In April 2021, Puritan announced plans to open a new manufacturing and distribution center in Tennessee, expanding the company’s national presence.{{Cite web|last=Young|first=Nicole|title=Maine-based Puritan Medical Products to expand operations in Tennessee, manufacture COVID-19 swabs in Robertson County|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/robertson/2021/04/15/maine-based-puritan-medical-products-expand-operations-tennessee-manufacture-covid-19-swabs/7232661002/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=The Tennessean|language=en-US}} With construction underway, the Tennessee plant will create as many as 625 new jobs over the next five years.{{Cite web|title=Maine-based Puritan Medical Products, one of North America's largest manufacturers of COVID testing swabs, purchases factory in Tennessee|url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/guilford-maine-based-puritan-medical-products-announces-expansion-into-tennessee-coronavirus-swabs/97-bdaba55b-3d3d-4b41-aa53-6c6c5b6f3a3d|access-date=2021-06-17|website=newscentermaine.com|date=13 April 2021 |language=en-US}} In addition to accessing a larger workforce than in Maine, Puritan chose the Tennessee location for "the location, logistics, and incentives offered by Tennessee state and county development officials."{{Cite web|last=Marino|first=David Jr.|date=2021-05-05|title=Swab maker's Tennessee expansion lets it access a workforce larger than Maine's|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2021/05/05/news/piscataquis/swab-makers-tennessee-expansion-lets-it-access-a-workforce-larger-than-maines/|access-date=2021-12-09|website=Bangor Daily News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Milliken|first=Maureen|date=2021-04-14|title=Puritan grows southward: Workforce, incentives made Tennessee 'right fit' for expansion|url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/puritan-grows-southward-workforce-incentives-made-tennessee-right-fit-for-expansion|website=Mainebiz}}
Other work
In addition to manufacturing COVID-19 testing swabs, Puritan is also active in the environmental, forensics, genetics, and microbiology media industries, among others.{{Cite web |title=Puritan Medical Products |url=https://us.vwr.com/cms/puritan_medical |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=VWR |language=en}} This includes the production of environmental surface sampling kits.{{Cite web |title=Puritan Medical Products Company |url=https://www.rapidmicrobiology.com/supplier/puritan-medical-products-company-llc |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.rapidmicrobiology.com |language=en}}
In September 2023, Puritan partnered with GenoTyping Center of America, a Maine-based genetic testing company, to produce specialty swabs that collect DNA from rodents without the need to use a surgical procedure or harvest a fresh tissue sample from each rodent.{{Cite web |title=Puritan Medical Products, GenoTyping Center partner on innovation for life sciences lab work |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/puritan-medical-products-genotyping-center-partner-on-innovation-for-life-sciences-lab-work |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Mainebiz |language=English}} Improving animal welfare, the new genotyping process is a DNA collection method that supports necessary biological research.{{Cite web |title=Puritan Medical Products, GenoTyping Center partner on innovation for life sciences lab work |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/puritan-medical-products-genotyping-center-partner-on-innovation-for-life-sciences-lab-work |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Mainebiz |language=English}} Heather Johnson, commissioner of the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development, claims the partnership "illustrates the growth of Maine’s life sciences industry."{{Cite web |title=Puritan Medical Products, GenoTyping Center partner on innovation for life sciences lab work |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/puritan-medical-products-genotyping-center-partner-on-innovation-for-life-sciences-lab-work |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Mainebiz |language=English}}
In October 2024, Puritan announced a hiring spree, eyeing 50 employees to add to its roster of 450 workers.{{Cite web |title=A year after major restructuring, Puritan Medical Products is hiring again |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/a-year-after-major-restructuring-puritan-medical-products-is-hiring-again |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Mainebiz |language=English}} The company cited orders being up 45 percent from pre-pandemic levels, including demand for U.S.-made testing products for the flu, RSV, strep, and COVID.{{Cite web |title=A year after major restructuring, Puritan Medical Products is hiring again |url=https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/a-year-after-major-restructuring-puritan-medical-products-is-hiring-again |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Mainebiz |language=English}}